Preserving the Capital's Architectural Legacy: An Urban Center Reconstructing Its Foundations Amidst the Onslaught of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her freshly fitted front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its bowed shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, admiring its twig-detailed features. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who celebrated with two neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an expression of resistance against a foreign power, she clarified: “We are trying to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of remaining in our country. I could have left, moving away to Italy. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance shows our commitment to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way.”

Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear strange at a time when drone attacks frequently hit the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been dramatically stepped up. After each assault, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Amid the Bombs, a Fight for History

In the midst of war, a collective of activists has been working to preserve the city’s decaying mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was first the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its outer walls is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon nowadays,” Danylenko stated. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby display similar art nouveau characteristics, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a small tower on the other. One beloved house in the area features two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Dual Dangers to History

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who knock down protected buildings, unethical officials and a political leadership unconcerned or hostile to the city’s vast architectural history. The severe winter climate presents another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We lack real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s mayor was closely associated with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov added that the plan for the capital harks back to a different time. The mayor denies these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once defended older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The ongoing conflict meant that all citizens was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see degradation of our society and public institutions,” he argued.

Demolition and Abandonment

One notorious example of destruction is in the waterside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had pledged to preserve its charming brick facade. Shortly following the full-scale invasion, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, observed by a surly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also inflicted immense damage on the capital, reconstructing its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could accommodate official processions.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was killed in 2022 while fighting in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his crucial preservation work. There were initially 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s prosperous business magnates. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It was not external attacks that destroyed them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now little will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful vine-clad house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and doubles as a film set and museum. The property has a new vermilion portal and authentic railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left.”

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not appreciate the past? “Sadly they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to go to the west. But we are still not yet close from such cultural awareness,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people unwilling to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Resilience in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of institutional abandonment. Chudna showed a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its broken windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she acknowledged. “Restoration is therapy for us. We are trying to save all this past and aesthetic value.”

In the face of conflict and neglect, these citizens continue their work, one building at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its stones.